


Tough as Nails

by untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 20:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14172963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl/pseuds/untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl
Summary: Richie takes Eddie for a surprise trip to the local nail salon.Terrible summary, I'm sorry.





	Tough as Nails

“Eddie, baby, can you open this for me?” Beverly asked, turning to the boy next to her. “These damn nails are more trouble than they’re worth!”

“Sure,” Eddie smiled accepting the carton of milk from Beverly, eyeing her newly shellacked nails. “They look great though, Bev.” 

“Thanks, sweetie,” she sighed, wiggling her fingers as the two admired the deep red talons. “You should come with me next time!” 

“What?” Eddie laughed, handing Beverly her milk with pink cheeks, staring down at the cafeteria table as he avoided the eyes of the five boys eating with them.

“Come to the salon with me next time, Eddie!” Beverly continued, becoming increasingly excited. “It would be so fun-” 

“No, thanks, Bev,” Eddie forced a nervous laugh. 

“You’re no fun,” Bev pouted, dropping the subject as Eddie blushed.

Richie watched as Eddie eyed Beverly’s nails with interest, cheek still flushed pink with embarrassment. Richie laughed, rolling his eyes and pulling Eddie into his side, taking the boy by surprise. 

“I love you,” Richie murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Eddie’s head.

“Love you too, idiot,” Eddie spoke, face pressed into Richie’s chest as Richie held him tightly.

* * *

That night, as the couple lay in Eddie’s bed just past midnight, Richie’s hand buried in Eddie’s hair as Eddie trailed the tips of his fingers up and down Richie’s arm.

“You busy Saturday?” Richie whispered into the comfortable silence.

“Hmm?” Eddie hummed questioningly, titling his head up to look at Richie through his lashes, eyelids drooping tiredly. 

“Saturday,” Richie whispered again. “You doin’ anything?”

“I dunno,” Eddie let out a little yawn before smiling softly at Richie. “ _Are_ we doing anything?”

“I have a surprise for you,” Richie smiled, kissing the tip of Eddie’s nose softly.

“A surprise?” Eddie yawned again, tucking his face against Richie’s chest again.

“Mhmm…” 

“What kinda surprise?” Eddie asked, now rubbing small circles into the center of Richie’s chest in front of Eddie’s face. 

“Can’t tell you, silly,” Richie chuckled. “It’s a _surprise_.”

* * *

 

Richie pulled up in front of the Kaspbraks’ house at noon that Saturday, grinning as Eddie came shooting down the driveway as soon as he put the car in park.

“Hey, Rich,” Eddie greeted, climbing into the passenger seat and leaning over the center console to kiss his boyfriend.

“Mm,” Richie hummed. “Hi, baby.”

“So,” Eddie grunted, slamming the squeaky passenger side door closed before Richie shifted into drive. “Will you tell me where we’re going _now_?”

Eddie had spent the whole week, pressing Richie and the others for details about Richie’s surprise.

“Patience young Spaghedward,” Richie joked, making Eddie scowl, as he opened his palm on top of the gearshift, inviting Eddie to lace their fingers together.

* * *

 

As they pulled into the Bangor strip mall’s parking lot, Eddie peered around confusedly. 

“What?” Eddie murmured, making Richie smile deviously.

Eddie climbed out of the car, standing by the hood as he waited for Richie to explain.

“C’mon,” Richie smiled, grabbing one of Eddie’s hands and leading him towards a row of store fronts.

“Richie, where are we-” Eddie whined, grabbing Richie’s bicep with his free hand. “No.”

“No?” Richie stopped, hand on the door handle of the little Vietnamese nail salon.

“Rich,” Eddie’s breath hitched as he peered over his shoulder, looking to see if anyone was watching them.

“What’s wrong?” Richie asked, turning towards Eddie and moving them to the side so they weren’t blocking the salon’s entrance. 

“W-we can’t,” Eddie breathed, eyes still scanning the parking lot for familiar faces as his cheeks flushed.

“Why not?” Richie asked, face falling slightly. “I saw you looking at Bev’s nails. I thought you’d-”

“You’re so sweet, baby,” Eddie interrupted, pushing the curls that had fallen into Richie’s eyes away from his face. “But, I’m scared,” he murmured, looking down at his feet in shame. 

“Scared of what, honeybun?” Richie asked, taking Eddie’s face in his hands as he tried to make Eddie smile with the pet name.

Eddie sniffled, pressing his face to Richie’s chest as he wrapped his arms around Richie’s middle. 

“Hey, hey,” Richie cooed, petting at Eddie’s hair and pressing kisses to it. “I get it, but fuck ‘em.”

“Rich,” Eddie laughed against his chest, relieved that the boy understood his insecurities without him having to express them aloud. 

“Seriously,” Richie pressed. “Our nails are gonna look fuckin’ bomb, babe! All those fuck heads will be so jealous.” 

“You wanna get yours done too?” Eddie looked up at Richie with surprise.

“Of course,” Richie laughed, kissing Eddie’s nose. “You’re not the only one who wants fierce nails, bub.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Eddie laughed, pulling back from Richie and blowing out a gust of air. 

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Richie grabbed Eddie’s hand swinging it between them. 

“I want to,” Eddie nodded determinedly before leading them towards the entrance of the nail salon.

* * *

Eddie sat at the little station across from an elderly Vietnamese woman, hands fluttering on the surface in front of him nervously. Richie watched Eddie’s pink face peering around the salon nervously with a smile.

Richie leaned over, pinching Eddie’s cheek teasingly with his freehand as a middle-aged woman clipped Richie’s jagged nails. Eddie smiled over at Richie, blushing further as he looked down at his hands realising Richie had been watching him.

“Clear?” the woman asked, startling Eddie.

“Sorry?”

“You want clear?” the woman asked again with a smile, shaking the bottle of clear top coat in her hand. 

“Oh,” Eddie blushed. “Um…”

“He wants the acrylic-thing,” Richie answered for him as his nail technician trimmed his chewed cuticles. 

“No, Rich,” Eddie argued. “It’s too much, just a regular mani-”

“He wants acrylic,” Richie repeated, grinning at the technician.

* * *

 

Richie watched Eddie with a smile, the smaller boy sitting in Richie’s passenger seat and trying to discretely admire his new pale blue nails. 

“They look good, bub,” Richie commented, smiling at Eddie as they stopped at a red light. 

“Oh,” Eddie looked up, trying to appear nonchalant. “Yeah, they’re nice.”

Richie shook his head, snorting with laughter at Eddie’s refusal to admit that he was absolutely obsessed with his newly manicured nails.

“You’re so cute,” Richie laughed, lacing their fingers together and kissing the back of Eddie’s hand, admiring Eddie’s short, tanned fingers contrasting his long, pale one with short multi-coloured nails.

“Thank you for taking me, Rich,” Eddie spoke quietly. “It was a great surprise.”

“Anytime, lovely,” Richie grinned, leaning over to kiss Eddie’s cheek, making the smaller boy squawk at him about keeping his eyes on the road.


End file.
